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MG MGA - New rings

I have a 1957 MGA 1500. It runs fine but appears to be burning lots of oil. It is quite smokey when first started and sometimes after stopping at a stop sign.
I am wondering how big a deal it is to change the piston rings and check the cylinders. Does the engine have to be pulled out or can it be done in place?
How much expense is involved??

I add about a quart of oil every 75 miles.

Many thanks-
Bill
Ann Arbor, MI
W Chandler

Back when I was in college, 40+ years ago, I did it in a parking lot without pulling the engine. Just dropped the pan, pulled the head, and did one piston at a time. I am fairly certain that if I had to do it today, I would certainly pull the engine. Much easier to keep everything clean and you are not working in a tight space on your back under the car.
Jeff Schultz

I have replaced the rings with the engine in place.

As Jeff suggests remove the sump (bolts over the front cross member are quite difficult). Once the sump is off the oilpump and strainer needs to be removed to provide enough access.

However,removing the engine is probably easier and as quick.

A quart every 75 miles is a lot, and its possible you may need more than just rings.

I would start with removing the head, and inspecting the bores. While the head is off, check the valve guides and valve 'O' rings as I believe these can have an impact on oil consumption on start up.
J Bray

it only takes an hour to remove the engine.

make sure you do a wet and dry compression test first to make sure that is your problem.

other sources of leaking (a lot) are a mis-installed oil filter, or leaking oil return pipe, for example...

jim
AJ Mail

Like the others said, might not be the rings and would definately do a compression check before changing them.

From your description of the smoking, sounds more like valve guides/seals. At times of high vacuum(like when idling), more oil will be sucked through the guides. Also, after shutdown, oil will fall through the guides and be burned at next startup.

Barney has a page about the various causes of smoking and high oil consumption,
http://www.mgaguru.com/mgtech/engine/be104a.htm
and also a page about alternative valve guide seals if that is the problem.
http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/engine/ch202.htm



Jeff Schultz

This thread was discussed on 02/06/2012

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